Slaughterhouse Chic, Los Angeles Edition

Our friend David John of You Have Been Here Sometime recently turned us on to Bestia, the latest addition to LA's burgeoning downtown Arts District. Here's what John has to say: "Across the street from the Modernica warehouse in the developing area of downtown, Bestia (translated as 'The Beast') is a modern Italian restaurant from husband and wife team Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. Gergis, a pastry chef, worked with downtown design firm Studio Unltd on the design; the 4,000-square-foot restaurant has, as she says, a "discarded-slaughterhouse vibe" meets old-world Italian farmhouse, combined with elements of elegance from the art deco period." For more, go to Bestia . Photography by David John . Above: Industrial lighting comprised of meat hooks and light bulbs. Above: In working with the idea of a "discarded-slaughterhouse," Studio Unltd designed meat-hook inspired lighting over the communal tables, adding a sense of darkness and humor to the restaurant. Above: A detail of the light bulb hanging from the meat hook. Above: Red stools lined up at the cocktail bar with custom-designed copper surface built to age over time. Above: Tables with bright safety orange painted farmhouse legs and a red and white oak table top designed by LA fabrication team District. The sleek "barrier free" booths anchor the warehouse industrial brick room. Above: The wallpaper in the bar area is from Brooklyn company Flavor Paper. Above: Patterned tiles are used in front of the pizza oven-bar and in the entryway. Above: A rustic chunky cottonwood butcher block table. Above: Custom tulip lights by Brothers of Industry hover over the booths, creating a field of metal flowers. Above: Hanging above the bar are a suite of yellow glass jug pendants by Cisco in Los Angeles. Above: The former factory building's corrugated siding with Bestia painted in oversized letters. Want to check out more of LA's latest restaurants? See our LA City Guide .